10 Reasons Why You Suffer from a Lack of Motivation

Motivation is the driving force that allows people to complete their goals. It helps a person understand their “why”. The reason that allows people to be focused enough to complete their goals has a lot to do with how they see themselves within the goal, and the reason why they want to complete it.

When a person is motivated to accomplish something, they usually have a strong reason to do it. With this being said, many people have various reasons why they suffer from a lack of motivation. I will discuss 10 reasons here.

Reasons for a Lack of Motivation

1) Some people feel as if they aren’t deserving of the accomplishment.

Often times, people do NOT complete tasks because they can see the great benefits of completing such an awesome task. They feel that if they complete it, there will be someone who deserves it more than they do.

They begin to psych themselves out and utilize the “self – fulfilling prophecy” by not completing the task. They convince themselves that the task was not going to be completed anyway.

This, in their mind, causes them to feel that they are not worthy of accomplishing something that might even take them to their “next level”.

2) Some people feel as if they have taken on more than they could handle.

When someone has too many projects, there is a great tendency to procrastinate. This is because they have taken on too many tasks. They feel as if they will not get to the things they really want to complete. Procrastination plays a great role in the lack of motivation.

People have a tendency to take on more tasks than they can possibly handle because they have difficulty saying “no”. With this in mind, taking on too much can cause a person to be so disinterested in accomplishing a goal, that they will actually ignore the completion of many of their tasks.

3) Some people need help but are afraid to ask.

There are times where a person needs help to complete a goal, but pride gets in the way. They will lose motivation to compete tasks because they feel as if they can’t do it on their own.

In a prideful way, some people will exhibit this lack of motivation because they would like to say that they were the ones who completed the goal “all by themselves”. But we know better than that, right?

4) There are those who believe that they won’t experience the desired outcome they really want.

For some, goals are attainable. But some may wonder what will actually happen when they accomplish the goal. For example, one may think that they will have large sums of money immediatelyafter they open their new store.

But reality will set in. The person may then begin to think about things related to HOW they are going to make large sums of money. They may feel deterred by this very thought (doubt).

They will think to themselves that they can’t make large sums of money – and then the motivation to complete the goal goes away.

5) Selfishness is involved.

There are many people who experience selfishness. This is also related to “pride”. There are those who only want to complete a task just for themselves. While this is NOT entirely a bad thing, the way that it will be discussed in this section will make you think twice.

When a person wants to accomplish a goal without anyone else in mind, then there is NO “service”. Although many may disagree, we are designed for service! Actually, true success only comes when you have been able to provide enough for people to get or have what they want. It is only then, (when you provide the service) that you get what you want. A “why” is always better than a “me” goal.

Here’s an example: If a single mother is going to college in order to make a better life for her children, she is more likely to complete this because of her “why” (i.e. her children). She is thinking about their care and safety:

a.) The type of house she could provide for them,

b.) The type of school they will be able to go to,

c.) The community in which they will live in, etc.

Selfishness is not appropriately directed and will eventually cause a person the lack of motivation, especially if it is not a priority to get to the next level for someone they care about.

6) You don’t know what others will say about the accomplishment.

Some people have jealous friends and don’t realize it until they or someone else in their circle becomes successful. What usually happens is the successful person may become the butt of an offensive or rude set of jokes.

A person who is sensitive to this may become alarmed and think that it would not be a great idea to be successful, due to the concern of losing friends or being talked about. They will second-guess themselves as well as the relationship with their friends.

Lack of trust for others could turn inward. It can also cause you to not trust yourself.

7) You may be hiding something about yourself.

Some people have a lack of motivation due to their own insecurities. There are those who take a good hard look at themselves and instead of improving on their faults, they use the faults as a crutch to stay where they are.

For example: if there is a person who has a speech impediment (although they are a prolific writer), they may be afraid of writing what could possibly be the next New York Times bestseller because if they are interviewed, people will see that they have a speech concern.

8) Fear gets in the way.

Many people have a tendency to perseverate over things that really do not matter to others, but cause major fears and doubts for themselves. Often times, people have a lot of “what ifs”, that prevent them from getting to their next level.

Certain questions include (but are not limited to):

“What if people don’t like my product”,

“What if people judge me for what I do”,

“What if someone does this thing better than I can”, and the biggest of them all

“What if I fail”?

These negative thoughts sabotage good people and their potential legacy all the time!

Remember FEAR is by my personal definition: Fake Expectations Arresting Results. This basically means that your fears are “fake”. They will hold your results hostage and they will NOT come to fruition!

9) It has become a habit to NOT complete tasks.

Habits can be hard to break. But a habit such as this one can be detrimental to a person’s success. When a person has a habit of NOT completing tasks, they won’t be motivated to complete their goals.

This only results in stagnation and being in the same place where a person has always been. When you create a habit of NOT going forward in your life, your mind begins to be “okay” with the status quo.

Most successful people understand that success is a ladder that continually goes higher and higher. You can’t get to the next level if you are okay with where you are, and have NO desire to move up.

10) You can’t tell yourself or others the truth.

When a person is motivated to go to their next level, they have created a set of core values and standards. With this in mind, one must be honest and upfront on a frequent basis.

For those of you who have a lack of motivation, this is a serious issue. Being honest will not only set you apart from many people who want to be perceived in a certain way, it also causes others to want to judge you or see you as “different”. Some people cannot take being criticized or judged for standing by their beliefs and standards.

In essence, they will begin to lie and act a certain way in order to get to the goal. Or they may even withdraw so that they won’t be subjected to the pressure of the things that they are going through. This soon fades out and the lack of motivation sets in. This is due to being under the pressure to be someone that you really are not!

We have the power and the ability to do anything that we put our mind to. We do NOT have to be afraid of what others will say or do. The gifts that you have are unlike anyone else’s in the world.

With this in mind, lack of motivation can cause you to reduce yourself to someone else’s standards when you know you are better. Grow to be the best person you are destined to be. Don’t let the lack of motivation take over your life.

You are AWESOME – and someone needs to see your awesomeness. So, stay motivated!

Dr. Richard E. Toney is a psychotherapist and author based in Texas. Dr. Toney has recently been mentioned and featured in Huffington Post and Mind-Globe.com. He is also a motivational speaker and Individual/Executive Coach for those who want to improve their businesses and lives. He has a blog where he discusses topics regarding mental health, procrastination, relationships, life, and a host of other things.